Scaffolding device



Dec. 30, 1947. E 2,433,692

SCAFFOLDING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet l #06077 1]: [iamm 72 M ATTORNEY Dec.30, 1947. H. s. GEER 2,433,692

SCAFFOLDING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1945 5 Sheets-Shet? INVENTOR Hahzrf J 666' 4 ATTORNEY Dec.'30, 1947. H,S,GEER I 2,433,692

S-CAFFOLDING [DEVICE Filed March 2. 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 4 ATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1947. H. s. GEER 2,433,692

SCAFFOLDING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1 945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR M ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1947 SCAFFOLDING DEVICE Hobart S. Geer, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor to The Patent Scafiolding 00., Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 2, 1945, Serial No. 580,620

' 2 Claims. (01. za -170) This invention relates to scaffolding devices, generally used in pairs to suspend a workmens platform. 1

. The object of the invention is to provide a novel structure which can be readily assembled, is adaptable to be moved along the sides of ships or other vertical structures by a skid action, is easily moved from place to place, and finally, is readily adaptable to a left hand or right hand operative lowering device.

Heretofore, in the use of scaffolding devices a strap frame of fixed dimensions was used into which the various operative parts had to be inserted. Considerable time was required to adjust the parts to the frame or the, frame to the parts, and often certain parts were placed under needless strain and stress weakening the general structure, whereas safety was a desideratum. In devices according to the present invention, the

operative parts readily fit into the enclosing shell like frames, without straining any of the parts.

The invention consists of a pair of mirror reverse side plates providing interior formations for the entrance of the operative parts ofthe scaffolding device, having exterior contours adapted to skid the device along a vertical wall, and having means to readily support it and to enable it to .be carried from place to place.

The invention will be further described, shown in the drawings and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one plate;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the other plate, both plates being identical with each other;

- Fi 3 is an exploded view showing the general assembly method;

Fig. 4 is a right hand end view of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a. top view of Fig. 4, including the handles;

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is a detail section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the side plates l0 are thereof. These ribs are so shaped inorder to act as skids to permit the movement of the device along a vertical surface, as the side or hull of a ship. The upper inner ends of the frames are provided with projections l3 for entering the ends of a supporting tube I4 (Fig. 5). The lower ends l5 of the frames are in a plane in order to form a supporting base, to enable the combined structure to stand without tipping. Along the margin of the frames there are provided openings 16 for the passage of tie rods I! (Fig. 6), held by screwthreaded members 18 having hexagonal sockets l9.

Each frame It] has an outward bulging portion formed like an inverted U (lllb), into which is merged a vertical portion llic forming together an inverted Y, which acts as a strengthening member. The upper end of the inverted Y pro-. vides a bearing 20 and the lower ends provide bearings 22; a bearing opening 2| being intermediate of the upper bearing 20, and lower bearing22.

Another bearing 23 is provided in each of the plates ID at the lower ends thereof. Spaces 24 are provided in the plates I0 to lighten the same.

In Figure 3 there are shown the two enclosing frames or shells l0, and the operative mechanism therebetween. It is only necessary to move the shells or frames towards each other, when the ends of the shafts 43 and 30 of the operative mechanism engage the bearings 20 and 2| respectively. The worm shaft 33a having been first seated in the bearings 22. The tube I4 is likewise engaged by theprojections i 3. Thereafter, the tie rods I! are applied to the openings l6 and locked in place. The assembly is of extreme simplicity without straining any of the parts.

Referring now to Fig. 5, in which the pair of plates l0 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are assem-' bled; a centrally disposed drum shaft 30 has its end supported in the bearing 2|. A drum 3I' is mounted on the shaft 30. Upon one end of the shaft 30 is mounted a Worm gear 32. In Fig. 5. it is applied at the right hand, but it may be applied to the left hand. A worm gear 33 is supported by the shaft 33a moving in the bearings 22. The bulge lb of the frame [0 is provided to form a space for the worm gear 32 and worm 33. The

end of the shaft 32a for the worm 33 is rotated by a handle 34 When the handle 34 is in full line position. A spring 35 (Fig. 4) holds an inclined cam 36 outwardly, and the inclined cam 36 permits the handle 34 to be moved to an inclined out of operation position Within the space between 3 the frames as shown by the dotted line position in Fig. 4, the handle 34 being pivoted to the end of the shaft 33a, at 340.. The worm 33 is rotated when the drum 3| is desired to be rotated in order to release the cable thereon (not shown). thereby lowering the device.

Preferably, as part of the worm gear 32, a ratchet 38 (Fig. 7) is provided, which is engaged by pawls 39 supported by the drum 3| and pressed by springs 40. The rotation of the drum in the direction of the arrow enables the pawls 39 to pass freely over the teeth of the ratchet 38.

At this side of the drum, the drum has agea-r 4|, engaged by a pinion 42 on the shaft 43 (Fig. '7). A pin 42a secures the pinion 42 to the shaft 43. Each end of the shaft 43 is provided with a pin 44 (Fig. 5) which is engaged by a hub 45 of the handle 43. The rotation of the handle 46rdtates the shaft 43, and the pinion 42 rotates the gear 4i of the drum 3|, and thus the drum 3! (Fig. 7) and winds the cable, thus raising the device, the pawls 39 riding freely on the ratchet 38. When it is desired to .unwind the cable that is lower the device, the handle 55 is pressed back, and the pawl 53 disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet 52. The worm 33 is then rotated, the worm gear 32 rotated thereby and the drum 3% rotate in the opposite direction to the winding up direction.

The handles 46, one on each side of the device, are usually operated by a man swinging both handles, though one handle can be used, the handles being preferably disposed "in directions 180 apart (not shown). The 'hub 45 of .each handle 451s provided withcircum'ferential grooves 56 into one of which a spring pressed button 5| fits (Figs. 4 and 5), to hold the handle from being unintentionally disengaged, after the slot 44a has been moved out from its pin 44.

The other side of drum 3 I has a ratchet toothed perimeter 52 (Fig. 8), upon which a pawl 53, pivoted to the shaft 43, rides, when the drum is winding the cable. The pawl 53 is held down by a sprin 54 looping the pawl andhaving its end secured to the frame '(Figs. Band 5). The pawl has a handle 55 extending above and'to the outside of the frames ill, for ready access. When the worm and worm gear is being operated, the handle 55 is'pressed and the pawl 53' disengaged from the ratchet 52, permitting its rotation in the drum unwindingdirection.

A cable sheave wheel-3E1 (Figs." l,5 and 6) is supported on a shaft 5|, in turn supported 'by a bracket em, pivoted tothe shaft 43. In the embodiment an intermediate centering sleeve63 is disposed between the shaft and bracket (Fig "5) A bolt or other supportingimeans for a plat form (not shown) maybeinserted'into the bearings '23 of the lower part of the frames.

In Fig. 5 there is 'shown'atkthe'right side, a worm 33 and gear 32. This worm 3.2 maybe readily detached and placed 'atuthei'left hand in the portion 514 of-the loulgingportion ".IDU'iof the left hand frame .(:'Fi;gs.5 and ;l) The worm worm gear 32, and shaft 43 with the pawl '53,.

and {1111101142,211 form an operative'unit, having laterally extending shaft ends. Withthis 'oper Depending upon ative unit assembled it is only necessary to place it between the two mirror reverse frames or shells [0, apply the tie rods, handle I4, handles 46, and the device is ready to be used with a suitable platform, the worm 33 being placed in one frame. It can be easily carried by means of the handle M, or stood upright on its flat base l5. The ribs II and I2 enable the device to skid alon a vertical wall, which is important, since the devices heretofore used very often are subjected to strains and stresses by shocks resulting from being caught by an obstruction, and then suddenly released therefrom.

The device is compact. All frames or shells nest on each other, when being shipped. There are no exposed bolts. It is truly universal. It is light in weight. It is easily assembled and taken apart, in consequence of which replacement of parts'is facilitated.

For winding the cable on the drum, the handles 46 are actuated and the pinion 42 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shownat its periphery in Fig. 7, which pinion rotates the drum gear 4| in the direction of the arrow shown near its periphery. When it is desired to unwind the cable, the member 55 is moved to release the pawl 53 from the drum'ratchet '52. There is then a pull of the cable directly on the drum, but the presence of the gear 32 and worm 33, and pawl 39 prevents a free unwinding; thus acting as a safety device in the manner well known. When the worm gear 32 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. '7, drawn upon this gear, the pawl 39 will follow, and the cable is unwound to that extent. When it is desired towind again, the pawl 53 is again engaged into the ratchet 52 and takes up the load.

.I have described various embodiments ofmy invention, but obviously changes maybe made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of theinvention asset ioutin the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a scaffolding device having an operating raising and lowering mechanism including a cable winding drum, a supporting shaft for the same, a gear wheel on said shaft at one side of the drum, a worm gear onthe shaft, said shaft ex-' tending axially beyond the drum and wormzgear, a driving shaft axially parallel with the first shaft, and a pinion on said driving shaft, said driving shaft having its ends extending axially into substantiallyparallelplanes passing through the ends of the supporting shaft, said planes being vertical to the supporting .shaft, the combination with said mechanism of a pairiof identical enclosing frames each includingiaj-shellhav ing a straight bottombase an .inverted'N-shap'ed outwardly extendingbulge, tandhaving bearing openings. one for the drum shaft end, .one'fo'r the pinion shaftaend; and twoaxially at right angles to said shaft openings adapted toxre'ceivel a :shaft for a worm r-engaging said worm gear,

said bulge having walls inclined to the opposite ends of the shells-forming skid portions,;:said

shells having additional openings for tie rods.

whereby, when the frames areplaced Tone-at each side of said mechanismto enclose the--same and held together by tie rods, thebulgeof one frame allows for thegearwheel and supports the worm,

and the bulge of the other frame allows for the gearwheel and supports the worm when the-gearwheelisdisposed on the other side of the.mecha-- nism, the skid portionsprotecting the bulgeon.

the slidin of the device on the side of the frame,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Moulton Jan. 12, 1915 Greve Dec. 16, 1924 Johnston Sept. 12, 1933 McKissick May 4, 1937 Davidson Dec. 14, 1926 Geer Nov. 24, 1931 Faulkner Dec. 14, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Apr. 4, 1922 

